


A Life That's Good

by Coraleeveritas



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Post-Canon, Drabble, F/M, Fic-a-versary, Post - A Dance With Dragons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-18
Updated: 2018-05-18
Packaged: 2019-05-08 14:07:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14695770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Coraleeveritas/pseuds/Coraleeveritas
Summary: Brienne is the reluctant ruler of the Stormlands. Jaime is her consort.





	A Life That's Good

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TeamGwenee](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeamGwenee/gifts).



> Another prompt, this time by Team Gwenee, for my fifth year fic anniversary. Not sure I've got this one tonally right, to be honest, but I did enjoy writing it.
> 
> As always, all mistakes are my own but any characters you recognise are not.

Hovering over the scribe as he completed the next beautifully illuminated page for the castellan's archives, Brienne was struck with another uneasy wave of realisation. She never thought her story would end this way, honour and loyalty working against everything else when there had been no choice but to become the one thing The Long Night hadn't prepared her for. The Stormlands hadn't been her home in a long time, the last time she had walked around Storm's End had been in the height of lush mid summer, Tarth already seeming like a memory, though now enough of a chill remained to stick the blades of grass together when she awoke to survey what was now hers to cultivate and care for.

It had been Tyrion's idea, and his continuing status as Hand meant his ideas more often than not turned from concept to commandment almost before they were heard by the full council. It had also been the only way to save Jaime, the thought of never seeing him again, never hearing his voice mock and mollify, never feeling his arms tighten around her as they slept too much to even contemplate. An overwhelming sense of duty had always pushed her to do the right thing but love had kept her alive, pulling her back from the Stranger's path more than once, the least she could do was take the offer presented to them and return the favour.

The words hadn't held any less magic repeated in front of a stuttering partially trained septon than they would have done had they been allowed a full ceremony, war criminals were rarely allowed to leave their cells never mind marry for love and become consort to a reluctant ruler. Despite their differences and disagreements, family still meant enough to Tyrion to see his brother ride off into what promised to be a not entirely unpleasant seclusion. If only she'd been allowed to keep her blue armour, though perhaps in hindsight being granted custody of her favourite squire made up for that particular grievance, her scowl might have lifted for more than a minute during the Lannister's stilted goodbyes.

Things had changed rapidly since they had signed away their lives into quiet Targaryen servitude, both at home and in the capital, spring thinking about turning to summer and bringing with it none of the joy Brienne remembered from the last time around. The memories were still too fresh for all those who'd seen the sun rise again to fully embrace the longer, warmer days. Jaime made a near daily effort to show her the growing beauty of their previously foreboding home, romancing her like the blushing maid she hadn't been in years in between greeting visiting dignitaries and grumbling smallfolk, settling into his new role far more easily than she was with her own.

She would never storm another battlefield, her Night King killing sword another memento hanging up in their overbearing great hall, but there was some comfort in accepting the titles that weighed on her lightest if they meant she and Jaime no longer had to worry about whether next day would be their last; Evenstar, The Warden of the East, The Kingmaker's Wife, and with a babe quickening in her belly life at Storm's End was starting to feel like a new adventure waiting to be begin.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!!! :)


End file.
